Padres' Nick Pivetta May Not Return as Starting Pitcher This Season

Just when the San Diego Padres thought they would be getting Nick Pivetta back, the right-hander suffered a setback during his first rehab assignment.

Pivetta has been trying to work his way back to the Padres this year, with this being the latest in a series of setbacks. The Padres believe that they dodged a bullet with Pivetta's new setback, and he's still expected to return at some point this year.

But when Pivetta does return to the team, it may not be as a starting pitcher. Padres manager Craig Stammen hinted that the veteran could be placed into a different role moving forward since he may not have enough time to ramp up to a full starter's workload.

“Based on his last outing [in Arizona], I think he’s going to get on a five-day schedule and try to ramp up to be a starting pitcher, and we’ll see,” Stammen said. “We’ll watch him every step of the way and determine if he’s ready to step into the rotation or if we want a different role for him.”

The Padres starting rotation has more depth now, with the team landing Casey Mize and Robbie Ray at the trade deadline. While Mize exited his Saturday start in the third inning, he's just dealing with an ankle sprain that isn't considered too serious.

When Will Nick Pivetta Return?

With this setback, Pivetta's return will likely come in mid-September, as long as he doesn't suffer more setbacks. He'll need to make a few more rehab starts once he's cleared to return, pushing his timeline back even more.

If Pivetta can return in the coming weeks, it could allow him to have plenty of time to ramp up before the playoffs. The right-hander has only made four starts this year before he suffered the elbow injury.

Now all the Padres can do is stay patient around Pivetta, giving him the time needed to fully heal and get back on the mound. But if he can return, the right-hander could provide the Padres with another pitching reinforcement for the final weeks of the season.

Padres Gain Control Over Nick Pivetta's Future

With this latest setback, Pivetta has now lost the ability to opt in to the last two seasons of his contract due to a clause in his deal. This says that the veteran can't spend more than 130 consecutive days on the injured list, as he would have needed to rejoin the Padres by Aug. 22 to avoid this.

He'll now have a $14 million club option for 2027, and then an $18 million club option for 2028.

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